AMA: I'm Laura Capozzi, Xplan Design Consultant and efficiency expert, Ask Me Anything!

I second this. Our business would also like efficient functionality to download all docs linked to case quickly and efficiently. Looking forward to response.

Hi Sarah,

While it's not ideal for file notes and benchmark data within a case to be extracted and then saved to another system/platform, this can be done using APIs.  If opting to use APIs, you would need a web developer or programmer to develop the API  integration so that the 2 systems can talk to each other. 

Alternatively, using one of the methods detailed in the response to melita could also assist.

Hi Carolyn,

That's great to hear that you are starting out and thinking about what steps you need to take to ensure a successful and compliant friendly workflow structure. You are definitely on the right track by firstly mapping out your processes. My tips for this would be:

1. Keep it simple - try to combine like tasks/actions into the one step. This reduces users from continuously clicking the “complete” button for tasks that all get done at the same time.
2. Visually map out each process and think about all possible outcomes - for example ensure that you can “close off” a workflow at a step where a client has decided to not proceed, rather than completing several tasks just to get to the end.
3. What can be used to help automate the steps? For example, do you have a file note template that you need advisers to complete after a review meeting? This can be built into Xplan and configured as a benchmark on the case for the adviser to complete. It can automatically pop up upon completion of the “task”. Another example is a confirmation email for a client appointment. This can automatically pop up or even automatically be sent to the client based on booking the meeting/appointment task being completed. Each might only save a few minutes individually, but added up can make a big difference in efficiency.
4. For ongoing service / annual reviews consider combining the case/workflow functionality with the Xplan Review Module so that the first task of the workflow kicks off coming up to the review/anniversary date of the client. The review can then reset for the following year upon completion of the case ensuring nothing is missed and rescheduling the review is not a manual exercise.

With regards to your question about some “out of the box” sample workflows, Iress does have Adviser Tool Kit which has some standard workflows built as cases that you can take a look at. If you would like a demo or trial access, I can get someone to contact you. Please let us know if you are interested.

If the above standard workflows don't meet your needs, you can engage Iress to assist you in mapping out and configuring your workflows with you as a project.

Hi Laura, we would love to have a specific Note template attached to a case benchmark item so that when you click the "+" to add a note to the benchmark, the specific Note template automatically loads. Is this anywhere in the current dev roadmap? Our advice delivery team would love this for efficiency rather than having to manually navigate to a specific note template that we want used for that benchmark item.

Another thing our [compliance] team would love would be the ability to efficiently download all files linked in a case (the files are attached to Notes linked to benchmark items). At present they need to expand each benchmark item to download each of the attached files, but it would be good if they could 'download all' attached files in one click if that was possible.

If there's already a way to do these two things, I'd love to hear how please.

Hi everyone and welcome to today's AMA!

Please ensure you read the instructions above before you post.

In order to see new questions and responses, make sure you refresh the page regularly.

Let me know if you need any assistance! 

Hi Alyssa,

Thank you for your question. It's great to hear you want to automate your reviews. This is a topic that is very close to my heart when it comes to efficiency, and I highly recommend using a combination of the Review Module and a case workflow for this exact purpose.

You can set the anniversary date as a type of review in the Review Module and set up a case workflow to automatically kick off the first task 30 days before the date in the module. The configuration of the workflow itself can be whatever you need it to be. For example, you can have both the initial task to the administrator to activate AND you can have the automated email sent to the client off the back of this task (or even the task following the administrator's one).

The SMS reminder can also be set up as a template and can be sent via a diary event template (even if you don't use Xplan calendar, you could still set up the diary even just for the purpose of sending the SMS reminder to save you time and you won't need to remember to do it manually).

The biggest advantage of using a combination of the two functions together is that upon the completion of the entire review process and the case itself, it can automatically reset the next review for the following year based on the frequency you have selected in the Review Module.

If you would like to know more about Cases and Benchmarks and how the above can be set up, you can attend our upcoming Cases Virtual Classroom session on Tuesday 1st October at 11am.  If you still need assistance after this, check with your Account Manager for details on how to get in touch with the customer services design consultants team.

Hi Kellie,

I'm so happy to hear you’re loving Cases and Benchmarks (I think they are awesome too). Firstly let's talk about the case template: Whilst generally the shell of cases templates can be converted across XPlan sites (ie the workflow template), the actual benchmarks and case details are a lot harder to transition smoothly as there can be unique template IDs across different sites. We must also consider privacy and IP when moving between licencees, especially when we are talking about templates (including document templates, file note template, and email templates containing logos and disclosures).  However, the easiest way to move a case template between sites is to begin with a conversion which will move across the bones of the case (ie the workflow / thread), then export and import the linked benchmarks (or manually recreate these). An alternative to conversions is an export and import of the case workflow, but you will still need to follow the same process with re-linking the benchmarks.

Secondly we understand your frustrations that completed cases against clients don't get converted across in their original form, and the data contained in the benchmarks are not linked (ie, file notes are converted separately and not linked back, scenarios are also not linked and the benchmarks are not linked), but we are always happy to get feedback to improve our customers experience, so we will be providing this to our product team. 

Hi Mchael,

Great question. I would suggest that firstly you export the thread templates and re-import them as cases. There is a solution offered by another Iress Community member located here: (https://community.iress.com/t5/Ask-the-Community-Xplan/Threads-converted-to-Case-Threads/m-p/30500). While this currently works, please note that it is not standard functionality and isn't officially supported by Iress. Note, there is a step for you to change the type in the exported file so that Xplan knows to create it as a Case.

Once you have the new cases set up, add a date to the end of the name (or an identifier) so that people know to use the new ones going forward. That way you can gradually phase out the old ones. 

I would recommend that your users complete any in-flight threads through to the end as replacing them mid way could potentially cause issues as the new case would start from the first task again.

If this sounds like a bit too much re-work, a workaround could potentially be to add the existing thread to a new case (and not create a new workflow in the case itself). You could still add benchmarks to the case but you would also need to remind users to go back to the case under the client to manually link anything you have automated off the threads task outcomes.

So out of the above 2 options would you put up with a little bit of short term pain for long term gain or implement a work around that you need your users to remember to manually add benchmark item links to client cases when they could have been automated?